Tenant Swap

Rehabbing, Fix and Flip, Rental Properties
1

Anyone ever had the situation where 2 potential tenants filled an application (passed good enough),one applicant and one co-applicant? The applicant informs me that the co-applicant is not going to be rooming with him. So he has a new co-applicant. Applicant understood that the co-applicant will have to fill application and pay background check, etc, even before I said anything.

To me, I am thinking that something in the Applicant’s past didn’t show up in the NTN background Nationwide search so he may want to try to see if his friend w/ the same issue will get past. But since, the co-applicant is going through the process I should just be ok, whatever the reason the applicant had for swapping co-applicants. ???

Secondly, has anyone used TenantVerification.com? I see from their background check sample that they include state and counties in their search, were as NTN has them separated costing more.

I may have no issue but I do have a worry.

Thank guys.

2

Wow, I forget how you newbies fuss over these issues.

Evidently, you’re not getting a big enough deposit to bypass this crap.

I’ve only done three credit and background checks in the last twenty-years, and those were for third party clients, not for my own rentals.

After I get my giant deposits, I call it a day. The ornery, thieving tenants won’t agree to give me big deposits. The clean tenants won’t either. They’ve got options.

But the honest ones, with crap in their backgrounds, will give me what I need to make me happy. I’ve been at this for nearly 40 years, but after I started requesting (and getting) huge deposits, nearly all of my headaches disappeared.

Not completely, but no disastrophes. People will work to get their money back, if there’s enough to worry about. I make sure there is enough.

Out.

3

I would hold out until you can get one tenant that can pay the rent.

I don’t want someone’s roommate problem to affect my income.

If one moves out are you only holding the other one liable for 1/2 the rent?

4

I have found that having only one name on the lease helps. Make the main applicant 100% liable for the rent. If he or she wants to share the unit with someone, then it is up to them to negotiate how they will split the rent.

It keeps it simple and keeps one from blaming the other or having one of your tenants move out and you are left holding 1/2 the rent.